Ashnee Patel, MPH, is a [part -time] Research Associate at Peg’s Foundation/Clear Pathways. Patel is an early-career scientist who is passionate about using community-engaged research methods to study the intersection of behavioral health and the criminal legal system, community safety, and non-police responses such as civilian-based crisis response teams or violence interruption programs.

Currently, she also collaborates closely with the NYC Office of Neighborhood Safety in her role as a Research and Evaluation Specialist at the Department of Youth and Community Development to evaluate the city’s violence interruption and gun violence prevention initiatives. Prior to joining DYCD, Patel obtained her MPH at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health while working as a research assistant at Columbia University Department of Psychiatry/New York State Psychiatric Institute and the Vera Institute of Justice.